DEMPSEY CROWNED CHAMPION IN EPIC JUNIOR A FINAL

Skibbereen's Darragh Dempsey claimed the Munster Junior A road bowling title after overcoming Johnny O'Driscoll in a thrilling Ballinagree final, winning by just 20 metres after a dramatic last-shot finish.

Paddy Stokes captured the Intermediate title with a commanding victory over Timmy McDonagh, becoming only the second player ever to win Junior A and Intermediate county championships in successive years. 

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Skibbereen bowler Darragh Dempsey lived up to his favourite tag when he won the Munster Junior A final at Ballinagree. The former European U18 road bowling champion from 2022 added to his trophy haul by getting the better of Johnny O’Driscoll, Clonakilty, in a score that went right down to the wire and because of the odds given there was no stake in this all west Cork clash.

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Both reached An Capaillin Cross in two with Dempsey in the lead, poor third, fourth and fifth from O’Driscoll and suddenly he was battling this score fighting a bowl of odds down. Dempsey had big odds with the bowl at Horgan’s double gates, but O’Driscoll was keeping it to the even bowl at the Pink Cottage. It was the same odds at the falling pole in eighth and nine shots. O’Driscoll knocked the bowl with a superb tenth shot as Dempsey was very right of play. It was still under the bowl at the Quay Wall, O’Driscoll having played two great bowls. Dempsey made the white wall in two more and O’Driscoll was still pairing away at his odds when he beat this tip by forty meters. Dempsey got a good fifteenth looking down at the village, O’Driscoll another superb shot that Dempsey was lucky to beat, his bowl came off the left and now there was only twenty five meters in it for the last shots. O’Driscoll gave it everything and got an incredible bowl with a touch of the kerbing well past the finish line, Dempsey had it all to do but also lined his bowl well and also got a rub off the kerbing to beat the tip by twenty meters. A wonderful final.

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MCDONAGH TAKES THE HONOURS IN INTERMEDIATE FINAL

It was mixed fortunes for the McDonagh brothers over the past weekend Timmy McDonagh lost the Intermediate final to Paddy Stokes at Ballinagree and Arthur McDonagh won his senior quarter final score from Páidín Stokes at Conna. No stakes in either score. In the Intermediate final at Ballinagree Stokes had a trap to line win, he was out Timmy Nuts bend in three good opening shots where he had a lead of thirty meters. An unreal fourth from Stokes to Coakley’s lane where he had just short of the bowl of odds, but another well executed bowl past An Capailin Ban cross raised the bowl of odds for him. McDonagh could get no traction in his next few shots and at the Pink house in nine and eleven shots Stokes had two bowls of odds. McDonagh played a few good bowls from here but there was no let up from Stokes and he covered and beat all of them to hold two bowls of odds at the falling pole. At the Quay wall McDonagh had it under the two bowls of odds. With all the betting on two bowls Stokes had a massive bowl to beat the line, but played it to perfection and smashed the line. McDonagh missed this by fifteen meters, Stokes won by the two bowls of odds. McDonagh a runner-up in this grade in 2025 also will have to wait another year. Paddy Stokes has become only the second player in the history of the game to win both the Junior A and Intermediate county championships in successive years he now joins Billy Hurley who won junior A in 1975 and intermediate 1976. Others came close.

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THE MCDONAGH BREGADE ROLL ON

At Ballinagree on Sunday morning the crowd gathered for the Boy’s Under-18 county final between Culann Bourke from Berring’s playing Gerald McDonagh from Fermoy, no stake in this one. They both got off to a great start opening the first bend to Coakley’s lane and up and around An Caipaillin Ban cross in two each with Bourke ten meters fore bowl. McDonagh took his first lead with a big third shot, but at the women’s finish line in five Bourke was back in front, both playing superb bowls up the middle of the road. After three more to the falling pole McDonagh had thirty five meters of odd. A poor ninth and tenth from Bourke gave McDonagh big breathing room and at the Quay Wall he had a full bowl of odds. McDonagh held this odds past the houses and raised a second bowl to book his place in the All-Ireland final in a weeks’ time.

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ARTHUR THROUGH TO SENIOR SEMI-FINAL

The score at Conna between Arthur McDonagh and his cousin Páidín Stokes rolled back the years for those who were in attendance, in the era of Mick Barry, Derry Kenny, Denis Scully, Johnny Creedon etc, when bowling was of the highest standard, this was a score that delivered in spades. Stokes started well but made a blip with his third when he missed light, both made into the green with their fourth, and after five to Coleman’s Bend Stokes had a minimal lead of one meter. When McDonagh missed Cullinane’s, Stokes had another chance to raise big odds but instead he missed the tip to give McDonagh his first lead. Out to the bridge in eight each Stokes was back in front again by twenty meters. Both players were giving it everything for the last quarter. McDonagh won back the lead with his next to the silver pole. Stokes replied with a huge bowl out and around Mullins bend that McDonagh followed and beat by one meter. It looked like Stokes had the lead back after a superbly well delivered shot around the s-bend, but McDonagh equally as accurate beat the tip by fifteen meters. A blunder with his twelfth from Stokes and McDonagh punished him when he got a huge bowl to Walsh’s. Stokes was hanging in there and drove on a massive fourteenth towards the junior line, but there was no let up from McDonagh and he beat this tip by a hundred meters. Stokes could stick the pace no longer and his last shot missed McDonagh’s tip to fall a bowl down with one shot to go, McDonagh bowled above senior with those five shots from the bridge and Stokes done well to only lose by a bowl of odds.

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BOURKE SECURED HIS PLACE IN THE U-16 FINAL

Culann Bourke an Under 16 county winner in 2025 booked his place in the Under 18 County final when he beat Willie Stokes in the semi-final at Ballyclough. Bourke opened this score with a huge first shot that Stokes only beat in two. Out around the first bend with his second it was still under the bowl of odds, but a total misjudgement with his third let Stokes back into the score. But he recovered well with another big fifth out and around the next bend that raised the bowl of odds for him. Bourke continued to press on with well-played seventh, eighth and ninth shots and raised more odds that Stokes could make no inroads into. In the end Bourke’s winning margin was three bowls of odds. He now plays Gerald McDonagh in the final.

The Senior Men, Junior B, Veterans, Intermediate Ladies and Under-16 Boys are the next priority for our fixtures secretary, in preparation for the 2nd series of All-Irelands in Keady-Tassagh, Armagh on August 1st and 2nd.

CONNOLLY TAKES FIRST SPOT IN JUNIOR B SEMI-FINALS

At Ballinacurra Ger Connolly from the South West had a one bowl victory over Shane Lotty City in a junior b quarter final score, playing for €4,000 a-side. Lotty was back of Brinny Cross in three great opening shots where he had forty meters of odds. Connolly made the far side of the cross with his fourth and Lotty made the church wall. After two more the width of the waterworks entrance separated them, Lotty fore bowl by twenty meters. Connolly played the better from here to the GAA entrance where he took his first lead. Lotty’s eleventh shot went left and Connolly made the double gates, Lotty missed sight for the last straight and Connolly went out and around and raised a bowl of odds, enough to progress to the semi-final.

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CROWLEY KEEPS THE FLAG FLYING FOR CARBERY

Ballygurteen held another Junior B quarter final score between Carbery man Colm Crowley and Kilcorney man Shane Collins, playing for a stake of €2,600 a-side. The standard of bowling in this score for Collins was well below par. Collins missed sight at the first bend in three and Crowley went out and around in three and raised an early bowl of odds. Collins got a good fifth down past Dullea’s new house that knocked the bowl and after Crowley’s fifth only twenty meters separated them. Crowley got a superb seventh to the women’s lane that raised the bowl of odds for him again that he held to O’Mahony’s avenue and followed up with another excellent shot to the layby. At the Coffee Dock Crowley had two bowls of odds and after another up towards O’Donovan’s bend Collins had enough.

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STRONG FINISH FOR O'DRISCOLL AT BAILE BHURINE

Baile Bhuirne was the venue for the third Junior B quarter final, here we had 2013 junior-a county and All-Ireland winner Denis O’Driscoll from Drimoleague playing the 2020 junior-a county r-up Davey Fitzgerald from Ballyvolane but playing out of the North East region, they played for a stake of €4,200 a-side. At the end of Long’s wall in four each O’Driscoll had fifty meters of an advantage. Fitz took his first lead after two more shots to Scannell’s, O’Driscoll was too tight on the right and missed tip by twenty five meters. Up the straight and on for the island O’Driscoll won back the lead by ten meters. O’Driscoll got a big opportunity to raise big odds with his eight but his bowl pulled left and just beat Fitz’s tip. Fitz got a super bowl past the Island and on to straight road and it won him back the lead again by a nice forty meters, but O’Driscoll had the ability to execute his own super bowl and got it from the Island that covered a multitude of road and won him back the lead by twenty meters. O’Driscoll undid his good work with a poor eleventh when he missed Fitz’s tip by twenty five meters. O’Driscoll only made the Council yard with his next and Fitz had a huge chance of putting big odds when he was throwing over forty meters, but he beat the tip by very little, at the Novice line in fourteen each Fitz had sixty meters of odds and held this to forty meters with two to go. O’Driscoll gave his next everything and got an unreal bowl that just fell short of the finish line but won him back the lead by a big margin, Fitz gave O’Driscoll nothing to beat for the last shot.

O'DRISCOLL TAKES THE FINAL SEMI FINAL SPOT AT BEAL NA MARBH

Ger O’Driscoll from Newcestown filled the last slot in the Junior B quarter finals when he beat Eoin O’Riordan, Macroom comprehensively at Beal Na Marbh, playing for a stake of €1,250 a-side. O’Driscoll was lucky with his first shot, it was very left and just missed a pole, O’Riordan not as lucky and forty five meters hind after the first shot and he missed up sight with his second, with O’Driscoll up fully. After three more to the cottage for O’Driscoll he had almost a bowl of odds, a lot of O’Riordan’s bowls were going right. O’Driscoll raised the bowl of odds with a smart seventh shot, O’Riordan was crazy right of play. With nine and ten shots to Hubbards, O’Driscoll had a bowl and twenty five meters. O’Driscoll got a super bowl to the palms and from here he made the forest entrance in two more to raise almost two bowls of odds. O’Riordan knocked the two bowls at Martins House but O’Driscoll opened the last bend before the finish and this was enough to book his place in the last four.

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In the Novice-Veterans Pat O’Donovan (North East) beat Freddie Scannell (Gaeltacht) by two bowls of odds at Bweeng. In the same championship at Curraheen Liam Linehan (North Cork) beat Ted Hegarty (South West) by one bowl for €800 a-side.

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A BIG FINISH FROM MURPHY GETS HIM THROUGH TO SENIOR SEMI-FINAL

The last quarter final of the senior championship was played at Castletown between Aidan Murphy and Brian Wilmot for no stake. At Round Tower cross in four each Murphy had five meters of odds. After three more each to Pynes corner Murphy had twenty meters of odds, from a bad stand Wilmot opened sight for the netting and beat the end of the netting with his next to go almost a bowl of odds up. Murphy missed sight from Pynes corner and then he was in trouble. Murphy went out to the line at Forshins Cross in two more where it was under the bowl as Wilmot missed the cross but was up for a loft. After lofting Wilmot had fifty meters of odds. Murphy’s thirteenth off the line pulled up right and Wilmot only beat this tip by forty meters. A huge fourteenth from Murphy to the junior line and suddenly the score swung in his favour. Wilmot was away right with his next and fell a bowl down, he was well back of the finish line in sixteen and Murphy just missed the finish line in fifteen and will now play James O’Donovan in the Semi Final.

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Ballincurrig are back on their own road after resurfacing has been done in preparation for the King and Queen of the roads on September 18th – 20th. In a Mick Barry Cup score Tommy O’Sullivan beat Patrick Flood by the last shot, playing for a stake of €3,100 a-side. Flood started in a blaze in this score, going to the green in three shots where he was throwing his odds over fifty meters and had a big chance of the no-paly line in two more but his fourth shot was very wide and he missed the no-play line again. At the second no-play line Flood had thirty meters of odds. O’Sullivan got an excellent seventh shot off the no-play line that yielded him his first lead of the score by one meter. After two more to the top of the long straight Flood was back in front again after a huge ninth shot that O’Sullivan missed by fifty meters, his bowl was too tight right. Both missed out the big corner in two more, O’Sullivan was peeping up the short straight with his twelfth and Flood lofted a great bowl. O’Sullivan next was “called” and had missed sight and his next missed sight again. Flood went up and around and was now in the driving seat. O’Sullivan replied with a whipping bowl back of Din Tough’s, Flood beat this by a valuable forty meters. O’Sullivan got a super bowl to make light for the finish line and Flood had nice odds for the last shots. O’Sullivan beat the finish line with his seventeenth, Flood beat the tip but his bowl was “called” and his second effort was too tight right missed the tip.

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MCCARTHY WINS SOUTH WEST JUNIOR C

Eoin McCarthy just held on to beat Gearoid McCarthy in the South West Junior C final at Fishers Cross, playing for a stake of €2,200 a-side. Gearoid went sight with his first shot and had the makings of a bowl of odds after two, but two bad blunders from him and they were level at Footman’s Cross. Seven and eight shots past Frost’s Bungalow and Gearoid had ten meters of odds. A phenomenal ninth shot from Eoin that got a nice rub off a cone and made sight for the Galley Bridge, Gearoid beat this by fifteen meters in two shots, keeping it under the bowl of odds. Eoin got two more good bowls looking over at the car house and throwing his odds with a bowl, Eoin buried his next right and now had only a bowl and thirty meters. Both made the car house with their next where it was an even bowl of odds. Gearoid closed the gap to twenty five meters with two shots to go, but Gearoid played neither one and Eoin won out by a big last shot.

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ALAN BUTLER BACK TO WINNING WAYS

Jagoes Mills held the Mid Cork Novice A final between Alan Butler from Bandon and James Kelleher from Newcestown, playing for €1,620 a-side. Both went through the cross in four shots with Butler taking all four and leading by twenty five meters. Both went out sight for the dump in five with Butler having sixty meters of odds. Kelleher missed this tip when he buried his sixth in right to fall of bowl of odds down. At Lawton’s in eight and nine shots, Butler increased his odds to a bowl and sixty meters. Three more for Butler to the railway entrance still a bowl and fifty meters up and at the Novice line it was almost two bowls in Butler’s favour.